2015 Draft Prospect Thread

[mayoclinic]

I have four OL prospects right at the top of my prospects liked list in Ronnie Stanley, TJ Clemmings, Brandon Scherff and La'el Collins, all of whom I consider fairly equal in terms of how I would grade them. Stanley* and Clemmings project better to OL whilst Scherff and Collins project better to OG (although can play OT well). That four quality OL will all go before the twenties seems ambitious to me. I think there's a real chance one lasts until we are in a position to get them. It's a good position to be in if we are looking at OL in round one.

I mention those four because I think all represent very good first round value. Of course Andrus Peat, Cedrick Ogbuehi, Jack Conklin, Ty Sambraillo and Jake Fisher are all round one/two possibilities too.

FWIW, the slots at which the top 4 OLs were taken in the previous grafts:

2014: 2 (Robinson), 6 (Matthews), 11 (Lewan), 16 (Martin); Ja'Wuan James went at 19
2013: 1 (Fisher), 2 (Joeckel), 4 (Johnson), 7 (Cooper); Chance Warmack and DJ Fluker went at 10 and 11
2012: 3 (Kalil), 23 (Reiff), 24 (DeCastro), 27 (Zeitler)
2011: 9 (Smith), 15 (Pouncey), 17 (Solder), 22 (Costanzo); Danny Watkins went 23 and Gabe Carimi at 26
2010: 4 (Williams), 6 (Okung), 11 (Davis), 17 (Iupati); Maurkice Poune went at 18 and Bryan Bulaga at 23
2009: 2 (J. Smith), 6 (A. Smith), 8 (Monroe), 21 (Mack); Michael Oher went at 23 and Eric Woods at 28

Though it's very early, I think the odds are pretty high that all 4 guys you mention will be off the board by the early 20's. It's possible that we may be in a position to move up for one, but not a given.

 

[manxman2601]

I'm not sure why Kansas MLB Ben Heeney (6', 230) isn't getting more attention. Looks promising in the video below. Check out his interception on the second ply in the vid.



And here's a quote from a former Patriot coach:

“I’ve seen a lot of middle linebackers that could dominate a football field,” Kansas coach Charlie Weis says. “No one in the league does it better than him.”

Weis compares Heeney to Zach Thomas, another former undersized linebacker who made seven Pro Bowls with Miami. And while Heeney will have a chance to make his NFL case soon enough, Weis’ point is clear: Don’t doubt Ben Heeney.

“What did they say about Heeney? Too short, not big enough,” Weis says. “Anyone who says he’s not fast enough, they obviously don’t watch the same games that I watch.”

He's second only to Eric Kendricks in the number of solo tackles this season.


Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/co...y-of-kansas/article1275834.html#storylink=cpy


Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/co...y-of-kansas/article1275834.html#storylink=cpy

 

[manxman2601]

Re Heeney above. Was first alerted to him by @jaredstanger, a Seahawks writer and also by this article on Scot McLoughan, a former Seahawks talent evaluator. Here's the relevant bit re Heeney:

This morning, he is consumed with an FBS middle linebacker projected by many to be a sixth- or seventh-rounder. But on a play in which the linebacker sprints to the sideline to make a tackle on a bubble screen, McCloughan sees something others might miss. The linebacker smelled a screen before anyone else and was just fast enough to get to the receiver. "You can't teach that," McCloughan says. He leans forward, quietly rewinding split seconds of the clip again and again.

......

He sits in his recliner, obsessed with that FBS linebacker. He works through lunch, barely uttering a word, rising only to use the bathroom and to exchange an old dip for a new one. He is discovering a player, yes, but he is also connecting with a vital piece of himself. When he finishes his report and gives the linebacker a second-round score -- "I'm the only guy in America who'll give him that grade," he says

If a Seahawks evaluator, drink problems or not, is giving Heeney a 2nd round grade, I think he's worth paying attention to.

http://espn.go.com/espn/feature/sto...l-best-talent-scout-self-employed-living-farm

 

[manxman2601]

Three more short Heeney vids:







Bear in mind that the last two were in 2012, his first year playing linebacker on defense and the last vid is only 50 seconds long.

He looks to have terrific football intelligence and instincts and excellent range, he takes some great angles. size does look to be a bit of an issue in terms of getting off blocks. Very interesting prospect though.

 

[meatface]

Don't bother to mock OSU's Tyreek Hill who has been dismissed from the program for a domestic violence arrest:



http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...yreek-hill-domestic-violence-arrest/20300829/

Well as long as there is no video tape of it I'm sure the Ravens would have no problem taking him

 

[manxman2601]

Brief video of a Hardison sack attached to the linked tweet. It's evidence of his ability to bend the edge as a 300Lb guy

https://twitter.com/jaredstanger/status/543827956595187712

Edit : Hardison is the LDE

 

[manxman2601]

I made a comparison between Shane Vereen and JnR ASU RB DJ Foster and that might not be too far off. I saw a brief Mel Kiper piece saying that he thinks Foster should go back to school for another year to get some consistency and if he does so, Foster could be a second round pick in '16. To see what I mean about Foster here's a highlight vid. I think you'll see why I like the Vereen comp.




Foster has said he'll leave a decision about coming out until after the Bowl game.

 

[JerseyShore99]

I made a comparison between Shane Vereen and JnR ASU RB DJ Foster and that might not be too far off. I saw a brief Mel Kiper piece saying that he thinks Foster should go back to school for another year to get some consistency and if he does so, Foster could be a second round pick in '16. To see what I mean about Foster here's a highlight vid. I think you'll see why I like the Vereen comp.




Foster has said he'll leave a decision about coming out until after the Bowl game.

Ameer Abdullah and Shane have a similar skillset

 

[manxman2601]

Ameer Abdullah and Shane have a similar skillset

I agree and I'm surprised Mayo doesn't. Vereen and Abdullah are very similar and fumbles aside, which might be an issue for Abdullah, I'd say Abdullah is probably the better back. Vereen is nothing more than a WR now anyways.

 

[Luxusdk]

Do you think Vereen is to one dimensional as back right now?

 

[JerseyShore99]

I agree and I'm surprised Mayo doesn't. Vereen and Abdullah are very similar and fumbles aside, which might be an issue for Abdullah, I'd say Abdullah is probably the better back. Vereen is nothing more than a WR now anyways.

Think he gets resigned? Likely 1,000+ yards of offense

 

[manxman2601]

Do you think Vereen is to one dimensional as back right now?

Think he gets resigned? Likely 1,000+ yards of offense

1. Vereen still has less than a thousand yards rushing in four seasons. I just don't think he's enough of a threat to run the ball to be a genuine dual threat.

2. However, I do think BB likes what he gives the offense so I have a feeling he will be re-signed but, it's not like BB has spending money to bring back RBs recently (see Woodhead, Blount).

3. I would love Vereen to succeed - he was one of my earliest binkies but I do think someone like Vereen needs to offer more in the run game otherwise he's not fooling any DC and you might as well just put another WR on the field.

 

[mayoclinic]

I agree and I'm surprised Mayo doesn't. Vereen and Abdullah are very similar and fumbles aside, which might be an issue for Abdullah, I'd say Abdullah is probably the better back. Vereen is nothing more than a WR now anyways.

I disagreed because I think Abdullah is a much better back than Vereen, while Vereen is a much more developed receiver. I understand that Abdullah has the raw skill set to be used as a receiver, but he hasn't been used that much, and from what I've seen he hasn't been split out wide at all, something that Vereen does a lot and something that he did in college as well. Correct me if I'm wrong. Abdullah is a much better prospect than Vereen was, but I just don't see them as "similar".

 

[mayoclinic]

1. Vereen still has less than a thousand yards rushing in four seasons. I just don't think he's enough of a threat to run the ball to be a genuine dual threat.

2. However, I do think BB likes what he gives the offense so I have a feeling he will be re-signed but, it's not like BB has spending money to bring back RBs recently (see Woodhead, Blount).

3. I would love Vereen to succeed - he was one of my earliest binkies but I do think someone like Vereen needs to offer more in the run game otherwise he's not fooling any DC and you might as well just put another WR on the field.

I agree with all of these points. Vereen was someone I was quite high on coming out. He hasn't been bad, but he hasn't put it together the way I thought he would. He shows flashes of being a really potent weapon, and then he disappears at times, especially as a runner. I wish I knew if it was more a factor of his own effort and consistency, or a line issue.

 

[manxman2601]

I disagreed because I think Abdullah is a much better back than Vereen, while Vereen is a much more developed receiver. I understand that Abdullah has the raw skill set to be used as a receiver, but he hasn't been used that much, and from what I've seen he hasn't been split out wide at all, something that Vereen does a lot and something that he did in college as well. Correct me if I'm wrong. Abdullah is a much better prospect than Vereen was, but I just don't see them as "similar".

Thanks. I just wanted to see how you disagreed. These are all fair points. I agreed with the premise because I think Abdullah would be used similarly in a Pats offense.

 

[Patriot Missile]

You would have A lot of Cowboys and Indian (Redskins) Super Bowls if that was the case.

It would be extremely interesting to see what would happen if there was no roster limit and no salary cap.

 

[I.M. Fletcher]

I am a really interested to see what the team does with Vereen. I like a few others thought he would become a much bigger offensive weapon, but he is missing any elite skill. What might keep him with the team is his level of smarts, where he picks up blocks incredibly well, and can find holes in the flats and over middle quite frequently. He seems to have issues with a lot of throws down field, as the wheel route has never been a very effective throw for the offense. Also, lacking breakaway speed or the ability to break tackles makes him pretty simple, but reliable player.


Given his injury history, I cant see the team investing much money in him, but at a lower price I can see him brought back. I like him, and think his chemistry with Brady make him worth keeping, even if his skillls are not that hard to find elsewhere.

 

[Patriot Missile]

I am a really interested to see what the team does with Vereen. I like a few others thought he would become a much bigger offensive weapon, but he is missing any elite skill. What might keep him with the team is his level of smarts, where he picks up blocks incredibly well, and can find holes in the flats and over middle quite frequently. He seems to have issues with a lot of throws down field, as the wheel route has never been a very effective throw for the offense. Also, lacking breakaway speed or the ability to break tackles makes him pretty simple, but reliable player.


Given his injury history, I cant see the team investing much money in him, but at a lower price I can see him brought back. I like him, and think his chemistry with Brady make him worth keeping, even if his skillls are not that hard to find elsewhere.

I really thought this was going to be the year for Vereen. He's been healthy and had games with a little bit of flash. But as runner he is has been nothing but sub par at best. Like Mayo mentioned, I'm not sure if is a line or scheme thing. What I do know is that when he runs up the middle between the tackles it's downright poor. Even when he tries to run to the outside he can't get any space to break anything significant. Either we are overrating him, not using effectively or the blocking isn't built for a outside the tackles type of back? Take your pick.

 

[AzorianPats]

I think the Vereen replacement is already on the roster in James White...

 

[manxman2601]

Just thinking about my two favourite first round pass rushers (not called Shane Ray) and how they fit our defense, I see Dante Fowler as someone who plays the Chandler Jones role whilst Bud Dupree would be an outstanding Rob Nonkovich future replacement and a much more athletic Rob Ninkovich too boot.